explore the biodiversity and local culture. However,
since BTAD is also home to other important
communities like Rabhas, Garos and Nepalis, etc, the
festival serves as a platform for people from different
communities and regions including neighbouring
country Bhutan, to come together.
The main attraction of the festival, without a doubt,
is the hill climbing competition. It is the main reason
for attracting people from far and wide. The winners
are awarded cash prizes for completing one trip to
the peak and back to the starting point. Climbers
take around three to four hours to reach the peak of
the hill, but visitors who are not interested to do the
climb can easily find entertainment within the festival
grounds. Traditional delicacies of many tribes and
communities can be found at the food stalls. Besides
grabbing a bite, visitors can also attend the interesting
cultural programmes or watch traditional sports like
‘khomlainai’ (wrestling) and cheer for the players.
But if that is not exciting enough, there is always
paragliding for an adrenaline kick.
The Legend
The hill is part of the Chakrasila Wildlife Sanctuary
and is home to diverse flora and fauna. It is also the
site for legends and myths, making it sacred among
Bodos. On the way to the peak, you are sure to notice
many small temples.
According to religious beliefs, Lord Sibrai, one
of the main deities of the Bodos, is believed to have
dwelled at the peak of the hill. But there is a little twist
in the story, which adds to the significance of the hill.
Legend says that some ages ago, there used to be a
princess called Deeplai. She was the daughter of the
king, Dakha. She fell madly in love with Lord Sibrai
and wanted to marry him, but her father was against
the match. It is said that Lord Sibrai sacrificed his
life for this love. This act left Deeplai grief-stricken,
and so, she offered her life to Lord Sibrai by jumping
off the top of the hill. Many believe that the story
inspired the naming of the hill, as ‘Baokhungri’ is
made up of two words namely ‘bao’ meaning ‘to offer’
and ‘khungri’ meaning ‘a girl’.
The legend is a local version of the story of ‘Sati’.
The sacrifice of Sati to save Siva’s honour after he
received insults from Sati’s father, Prajapati Daksh,
has been widely preached as an example of an ‘ideal
wife’. The same messages can be seen in the legend
of princess Deeplai. There are many Bodo people
who have embraced Hinduism for centuries now, and
most of them are ardent worshippers of Lord Shiva.
Upon interacting with the people at the festival, it
was revealed that the tradition of climbing the hill
may have started around the same time Shaivism was
spreading in Assam, influencing local religious cults
and practices.
The locals also hold several beliefs about the hill.
The most popular belief is that, if a person climbs
the hill three times consecutively in a year, all his/
her wishes will come true. Of course, it has to be